Beauty's Rose
by jewlzbird
Summary: Rose Weasley, Scorpius Malfoy; two teenagers that were brought up to hate each other. But what will their families think when they fall in love? A story of love, hate, family and war.
1. Memory Lane

Taking a walk on memory lane

_Taking a walk on memory lane  
isn't all that gray.  
Taking a walk on memory lane  
I see the sunrays._

Taking a walk on memory lane  
isn't all full of tears.  
Taking a walk on memory lane  
I have no fear.

Taking a walk on memory lane  
not a drop of rain in sight.  
Taking a walk on memory lane  
everything is alright.

Taking a walk on memory lane  
is where I want you to come along.  
Taking a walk on memory lane  
is where we belong all lifelong.

Rose Weasley sat with her parents and brother at their kitchen table, eating breakfast. Her mother, Hermione Granger Weasley, was currently having a heated argument with Rose's father, Ron Weasley. Rose and her younger brother, Hugo, sat quietly, eating toast with marmalade and scrambled eggs.

"Honestly Ronald! I've told you a thousand times!" Her mum ranted loudly. Rose rolled her eyes. Her parents bickered even more than she and Hugo did, and that was saying something. She flicked her soft brown curls over her shoulder with annoyance. Her bright blue eyes that were usually sparkling with excitement (i.e. during a Quidditch game), were dull with boredom. She twitched her freckle-dusted nose in her parent's direction, a sign that this conversation was irking her to no end.

This whole situation reminded Rose of another morning like this one, and so she took a trip down memory lane…

FLASHBACK

She was sitting at the breakfast table, five years younger. Her mum and dad were fighting again, and Rose's face was leaning into the palm of her hand, obviously bored to death.

Suddenly, an owl came swooping through the window, dropped a letter on Rose's empty plate and flew right out the window. Rose's parents immediately silenced and stared at the fancy envelope with her name on it in loopy black letters.

Rose turned the envelope over and saw a crest with a lion, a badger, an eagle and a snake on it with a large 'H'. Her dad grinned, glancing sideways at his wife. Rose ripped the envelope open and squealed with joy. It was her Hogwarts letter.

The fireplace turned green and out came Albus and James Potter, her cousins. Albus, or Al for short, was grinning manically.

"Did you get it?" He asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah! You?" She answered gleefully. He nodded.

Rose sat down on the nearest chair and stared at the letter that was still in her hands. The bottom read;

"_Until September 1__st__,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_"

Rose frowned. "Dad, didn't you say the Headmaster's name was Dumbledore?" She asked. Her father hesitated, and glanced at her mum, who shooed Hugo up to his room and invited Albus and James to sit down. She then nodded at her father, who began to tell her everything, starting from a dreary Halloween night in 1981.

Then she was in Diagon Alley, getting measured for her new Hogwarts robes, and off again to Flourish and Blotts, the Apothecary, and to many others wizarding shops.

The scene then changed. She was standing at Platform 9¾, bubbling with excitement.

'I'm going to Hogwarts!' She thought happily. 'With Al and James too!' James was a third year, but she hoped she would see her older cousin often as well. Rose had run through the barrier with a determined look on her face and then emerged on the Platform, where she was standing now.

Rose found her cousins, James, Albus and Lily, who was 9, and their parents, Harry and Ginny Potter. Rose waved enthusiastically at them, smiling hugely. Al spotted her first and waved back.

Turning around, she caught a glimpse of the Hogwarts Express, emitting smoke and tooting loudly. She zoned out from her family and surroundings as she stared at it in awe. She was suddenly brought back down to earth as she heard her dad talking to her.

"…Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank god you inherited your mother's brains."(HPDH, Epilogue, pg. 756) He said quietly, looking at a family of three standing not too far away. There was a man, around her father's age, with slick blond hair that was slightly receding. The woman next to him, who must be his wife, had short black hair and a pointy face. In between them was a boy who looked like he was just starting Hogwarts as well. He looked much like his father, except his blond hair was messy and a little longer and his eyes were a pale grey. Rose wondered who he was.

Suddenly Rose heard a loud whistle. Hugs were being given all around, and soon, she was on the train, sitting with Albus and a boy named William Finnegan. Rose and Albus became good friends with him.

Then she was standing in line in the Great Hall. William, or Will as she began to call him, was sorted into Gryffindor. Rose listened intently to the names of the students, determined to remember all their names.

"Scorpius Malfoy." Called the professor. Rose gasped at the name. She recognized it from the story that her father told her a week ago. Then, the boy from the Platform walked up to the Sorting Hat and was sorted into Slytherin. Rose thought he didn't look much like the son of a Death Eater, but felt a growing hatred bubbling up inside of her. His father nearly killed Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard ever known!

Then Albus was called up and was sorted into Gryffindor. 'I had better get into Gryffindor' she thought silently.

"Rose Weasley." Rose walked up to the Sorting Hat and put it on.

"Another Weasley, is it? Lots of intelligence, I see, but you still belong in GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted the last word. Rose sighed with relief and ran to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Al and grinned at him. Across the hall, she noticed Scorpius Malfoy glaring at her. Apparently his father had told him _his_ side of the story. She glared right back at him.

END FLASHBACK

Rose fell out of her stupor as she heard a whoosh of wings and two letters fell on the kitchen table. She and Hugo immediately grabbed for them and ripped them open.

There was the usual letter about when the train would leave, and the list of required books, but then, another piece pf parchment fell out of the ripped envelope. Rose picked it up.

"_Dear Ms, Weasley,_

_I am delighted to inform you that you have been chosen as one of the Gryffindor prefects this year. Please report to the Heads compartment on the 1__st__ of September for further details from the Head Boy and Girl._

_Good luck,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_"

Rose gawped at the letter, then picked up the envelope and turned it upside down. A red and gold Prefect's badge clattered onto the kitchen table. Rose's mum caught sight of it and squealed.

"Oh, my baby is a Prefect! Quick, let's call the Potter's!" She said excitedly. Rose rolled her eyes again. Being Prefect wasn't really a big deal…

**Author's Note:** Hiya! New story, yay, nothing is mine except the plot and the unrecognizable characters… Well so far all the characters are recognizable, I think, so I'll save that for the next chapter. Anyways, poem at the top is by Lost Sierra from . Most poems I'll be putting for other chapters will be from there too. Please review!!


	2. At the Beginning

We were strangers

_We were strangers  
Starting out on a journey  
Never dreaming  
What we'd have to go through  
Now here we are  
And I'm suddenly standing  
At the beginning with you_

No one told me  
I was going to find you  
Unexpected  
What you did to my heart  
When I lost hope  
You were there to remind me  
This is the start

Life is a road  
And I want to keep going  
Love is a river  
I wanna keep flowing  
Life is a road  
Now and forever  
Wonderful journey

I'll be there  
When the world stops turning  
I'll be there  
When the storm is through  
In the end I wanna be standing  
At the beginning with you

"Will!" Rose shouted over the tearful goodbyes and shouts of greetings. "Where is he?" She asked no one in particular.

"Rose! Al!" William Finnegan appeared out of nowhere with his parents. "There you are!" He gave them both big hugs.

The train conductor blew his whistle loudly and hugs and kisses were given all around. Albus, Rose and Will boarded the train and found themselves an empty compartment, stowed away their luggage and sat down.

"So how were your summers?" Will asked Rose and Al as they settled down comfortably. Rose and Al exchanged mischievous looks before turning back to Will, who began to look a little apprehensive.

"Wonderful. You should have seen the pranks we played!" It was well known that Rose and Al were like their Uncle George and his twin brother Fred who died in the war. Nevertheless, Rose always kept her pranks at a lower level at school, and would most likely be stopping as she was now a Prefect. Will rolled his eyes.

"That's what you do _every_ summer," he said, then grinned. "Course, you won't be this year because I'm a Prefect." He said cheekily, flashing his badge at them.

"_Really_, now, Willy dear, a Prefect shouldn't rat out on another of his own, should he?" Rose smiled and took out her own badge with a flourish and stuck it under his nose. Will snorted and shook his head.

"You'd make a terrible Prefect," he said, "Playing pranks left and right. Professor McGonagall must have been drunk on firewhiskey when she chose you."

"Hmpf." Rose said and pretended to look hurt. Will grinned at her and began to talk with Albus about Quidditch. Soon, they train began to move.

"Oh!" Rose said, jumping up in surprise. "We have to go to the Prefect meeting!" She and Will left the compartment and went to the first compartment on the train, which was by far the largest, as it needed to fit around 15 people.

Inside, the prefects were just beginning to gather around the two Heads, Mark Thomas and Andrea McMillan. Rose and Will sat down next to the Ravenclaw Prefects, who waved politely at them. The meeting then started.

"Ok, hi, if you don't know already I'm Andrea McMillan and this is Mark Thomas, and we're the Head Girl and Boy this year." Andrea then went on about things that were appropriate to take points away from, curfews for the different years and patrolling.

"You're all going to be patrolling in pairs, which I will be telling you in a few moments, and most days either Mark or I will be patrolling as well. Here are the groups." Mark then began to read out the names in pairs. Rose zoned out and waited to hear her name.

"…William Finnegan and Jessica Abbot…" Rose grimaced. There weren't that many fifth years left, and most of them were Slytherins.

"…And Rose Weasley with Scorpius Malfoy."

Oh no. Rose could never patrol with a Malfoy. She looked at the Slytherin in question; he looked just as angry as she felt. Will gave her a sympathetic look.

"If you don't like your partner, then please do not come to us and demands to change because we have specifically put you all this way. We want all the Houses to become friends, and we're hoping that this will help."

"Don't forget that you all have to escort the first years to your respective common rooms and show them where to sleep after the feast." Mark added. "That's all. See you all at the next meeting, which will be held next Saturday. I expect you all to be patrolling tonight, starting at 10:30!" With that, the prefects began to disperse in pairs, most likely to talk with their partners about where to meet that night. Rose found herself locking eyes with Malfoy, who walked over to her.

"Where do you want to meet?" He asked in a bored voice, but Rose could detect some malice in it.

"I don't care." She snapped.

"Seventh floor fine with you, your highness?" He retorted. Rose glared.

"Fine by me." Malfoy nodded curtly and turned away. Rose stuck her tongue out at his back.

"Ugh!" Rose grumbled as she threw herself onto the plush seat back in her compartment. "He is such an arrogant jerk!" Albus looked at her curiously.

"Malfoy." Will answered his question before he could ask. "Rose has to patrol with him every night."

"Oh." He answered, looking a little surprised. "That's…not good." Rose grimaced at him, crossed her arms and leaned back into her seat, grumbling.

For the rest of the ride, Al, Will and Rose talked about anything that could come to mind- their summers, O.W.L's, and of course, Quidditch.

"We're going to be unbeatable this year!" Al was rambling. "With Rose as our star chaser, you as our keeper, and me as Seeker, we're going to take down the other teams!"

"Whoa, Al, calm down." Rose said. "Just because we're good doesn't mean that we're for sure going to win."

"Yeah, sure, ruin all the fun, why don't you?" Grumbled Al playfully, but Will looked serious. He was by far the most passionate about Quidditch.

"She's right, Al." He said seriously. "We're gonna have to practice hard this year." Al and Will then began to discuss possible Quidditch plays to use.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Boys." She muttered under her breath.

Soon, Rose, Albus and Will found themselves sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Rose felt so happy, so at home. The stars were twinkling brightly above them on the enchanted ceiling, and Rose could see all of her friends and housemates sitting at her table or at another. Rose waved cheerfully at Hagrid, the professor of Care of Magical Creatures, who was leading the group of terrified first years through the grand oak doors, and the sorting began.

After many new Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins joined their respective tables, the feast began. Rose loved the food at Hogwarts just as much as her grandmother's, who was, in Rose's opinion, the most amazing chef in all of England. Chicken, soup, vegetables, rice, and many little side dishes were appearing on the tables in one consecutive motion. The Gryffindors quickly tucked in, savoring the wonderful taste of the house-elves' delicious food. Soon, the feast was over and all the dirty dishes promptly disappeared down to the kitchens. Professor McGonagall then stood up to start her speech. She spoke for a few moments about things like no going in the Forbidden Forest, the list of banned items, no magic in the halls, ect.

"…Thank you. You may all go to your dormitories." Rose and Will stood up and began to gather up all the Gryffindor first years. Once they had them all, the Gryffindors made their way to their common room, gave the password and entered.

The Gryffindor common room was exactly as it was last year. The walls were red and gold, there were many comfortable armrests and couches scattered around, and a blazing fire was roaring in the fireplace. Rose led the girls up to their dormitory, and Will brought up the boys. When she was done, Rose entered her own dormitory.

"Hey, Rose." Called out the other girls in her dorm, Laura Longbottom, Emilie Castiel, Anne Caser and Tal Jordan.

"Hey, Laura, Em, Anne, Tal." She greeted in response, and almost immediately the five girls began to talk about their summers and the latest gossip.

"Have you seen Scorpius Malfoy? He's even better looking this year!" Laura squealed. Rose frowned.

"He's such a jerk, I don't know why you guys like him." The girls rolled their eyes.

"Yeah? What did he do?" Emilie asked her. Rose told them about the prefect meeting.

"Oh, who cares, he was probably annoyed to be stuck with a Gryffindor."

"Like yourself, right?" Rose said cheekily. The other girls laughed and Emilie blushed.

Rose looked at her watch. "I'd better go; it's almost 10:30." Rose got up and, after exchanging goodbyes, left the dormitory. She waved at her brother, Hugo, who was talking with his friends as she passed him in the common room, then exited the Portrait Hole. Rose made her way down the seventh floor corridor and leaned against the wall, waiting. Finally, ten minutes later, Malfoy came strolling calmly down the corridor, hands pushed deep in his pockets. Rose straightened up and glared as he approached her.

"You're ten minutes late!" She scolded him. "We're going to lose our prefects badge if you keep doing this!"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Who cares?" He said.

"Ugh. Let's go." She said, and began walking down the corridor, Malfoy trailing along behind her.

The rest of the night went rather badly. Rose fought angrily with Malfoy a few times, who seemed just as hateful as she was. When their shift was over, at 11:30, Rose was glad to leave and stomped back to the common room. As she neared the Portrait Hole, she saw Will coming down the corridor towards the Portrait as well. He waved when he saw her and sped up.

"How was your night? Hope Malfoy wasn't too bad?" He asked.

"Oh, it was horrible!" She ranted. "He is such an irresponsible, rude idiot!" Will looked taken aback, but then nodded.

"Yeah, so I've heard." He smiled cheekily at her. Rose harrumphed and went up to her dormitory.

**Author's Note:** Right, NOW I can say that only the plot and unrecognizable characters are mine. Lyrics from top of chapter are from the song At The Beginning from the movie Anastasia. I know the lyrics don't really have much to do with the chapter, since there really isn't any love here, but let's just say it fits the rest of the story. Please review!!


	3. Why Can't We Be Friends?

Why can't we be friends

_Why can't we be friends?  
Why can't we be friends?  
Why can't we be friends?  
Why can't we be friends?_

I seen you 'round for a long long time  
I really 'membered you when you drink my wine

Why can't we be friends?  
Why can't we be friends?  
Why can't we be friends?  
Why can't we be friends?

I seen you walkin' down in Chinatown  
I called you but you could not look around

The nightly fights between Rose and Malfoy got worse and worse as each day passed. Glares were exchanged by day and insults by night. Rose was getting quite tired from it. Her ears were ringing from shouting, her head was swimming with the insults he threw at her and was tired from staying up so late to do rounds and finish up homework. Soon it was November, and Rose's friends were still giggling about Malfoy. They didn't seem to care about how terrible he was to her, only that he was good looking.

Rose was sitting in the Common Room, studiously writing an essay for potions. She finished the last sentence with a triumphant "ha!" and blew on the parchment so the ink would dry, then rolled it up and carried it to her dormitory. She was just putting the finished essay in her bag when she glanced at Laura's alarm clock and saw the time.

Rose flew out of the dormitory and down the steps. It was 10:35. She was extremely late for prefect duties.

_Life is unfair_, Rose thought miserably as she ran towards the seventh floor corridor. Malfoy was already waiting there, looking extremely annoyed.

"You're late!" He said. "I'm the one who's always late, and would you look at that! I'm on time, and you're not. How shocking!" He said mockingly, putting a hand on his mouth as if to prove how 'shocked' he was.

"Shut up." Rose grumbled at she pushed past him. Malfoy kept up with her long strides easily.

"Why? Are you mad that I got the better of you this time?" He asked nastily. "Should I be quiet and let you wallow in your daily miseries?" _Yes!_ Rose thought, but kept it to herself. She didn't want to look weak, especially not in front of her enemy.

"Shut up." She repeated, but her voice cracked, she knew it.

"Or what? Are you going to go crying to your mud blood-loving father?" That was the last straw. On impulse, she whirled around and threw the palm of her hand across his cheek. Malfoy winced, but didn't stagger or cry in pain.

"Don't you _ever_ talk about my father like that. He's ten times the man _your _father will ever be." She hissed.

Rose turned around and continued walking as if nothing had happened. She could hear Malfoy's quiet footsteps starting again, then slowing and coming to a stop. She could have sworn she heard him whisper, "You're right," but she couldn't be sure. Casting a look over her shoulder, Rose saw Malfoy walking in the other direction.

"Where are you going? We're supposed to patrol together!" She called.

"I'm sure the Heads won't notice. Besides, I think we need a break from each other." He said only loud enough for her to hear. Rose nodded, and then realized that he couldn't see her. She was about to shout back "Ok" but he disappeared around a corner. Rose walked on.

Rose was extremely grateful that it was Friday. The Heads told them that they could have Friday night off after a week of complaints from the prefects. The night before she had fallen asleep after hours of tossing and turning and was lacking sleep. She felt terribly terrible guilty about hitting Malfoy, no matter how much she hated him. He was everywhere- in the hallways, in the Great Hall, in her classes. Every time she saw him, she'd avert her eyes quickly in fear of what she would see there.

Her classes went unusually slow. She didn't take notes in History of Magic and succeeded in blowing up her potion.

"Hey Rose, you feeling alright?" Emilie asked her during lunch. Rose nodded sleepily and poured herself a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I think she looks sick," said Tal.

"Love sick, you mean." Giggled Laura. "Who is it?"

"For god's sake, I'm not in love with someone." Rose answered exasperatedly as she picked up her bag and got up from her seat next to Anne, who was by far the less giggly and gossipy of the five girls. Rose considered her a very good friend. "I'll see you guys later."

That night Rose slept much better than she had in days. She had a chance to go to bed earlier, as she had more time to finish her homework, and it was the weekend, so she could sleep in late. And since there were no rounds with Malfoy, she didn't have to stare at the top of her canopy wondering if all those terrible things he said about her were true.

On Saturday Rose awoke at eleven a.m. and was happy to not have to rush. She ate slowly and took her time walking in the corridors. As much as she loved school, weekends were still like heaven. She went to the library and looked for the books she would need for all of her essays and projects, deciding that she would start working on them later to give her brain some time to wake up. She spotted Malfoy sitting nearby, alone. She wondered vaguely what happened to those people he called friends, who she thought were more like admirers. He looked up at her and stared at her with an unfathomable expression on his face. Rose lifted her eyebrows lightly and turned her back on him, scanning the books on the shelves.

That night was the prefects meeting. Rose thought the whole thing was rather pointless; the Heads reminded them of the prefect's duties and told them to come to the next meeting, same time, same place.

"And don't forget," Andrea called as the prefects shuffled towards the door, "We expect full cooperation in the task of bringing the houses together! So please, please, please, try not to fight." She threw a furtive look at Rose. Rose scowled.

Sunday night, Rose slowly headed down to the seventh floor. As she rounded a corner, she saw Malfoy leaning against the wall where they usually met, though she found it rather strange that he was five minutes early. She approached him hesitantly before stopping a few paces away from him.

"Shall we get going, then?" She asked. Her voice seemed quieter than usual, she noted.

"Yeah," He said in reply, and walked with her down the corridor. For once, there was nothing to say between them; either they had run out of insults or they just didn't have the heart to spit them out after Thursday's row.

And so they walked in silence, though it was an awkward silence, nor a tense one. Rose wondered briefly if Malfoy had a cough or something before he began to speak in a calm, collected voice.

"I want to apologize for how I've been acting these past weeks," he said, his eyes fixed upon a blank spot on the wall. "It wasn't very nice of me." Rose almost snorted aloud. It wasn't _nice_? It was quite a bit worse than that. Nonetheless, she kept her opinion to herself. After all, she wasn't all that nice either.

"That's alright," she said, and at the same time was wondering what on earth she was talking about. "I suppose I owe you one too. And for hitting you." Malfoy merely nodded as his way of accepting an apology.

"Rose," he said after a moment of silence. Rose made a noncommittal noise that seemed lodged in her throat. Since when did Malfoy call her by her first name? "Why _can't_ we be friends?"

Rose stared at him. She had thought that the answer had been rather obvious, to be honest! She cleared her throat. "Well…You're a Malfoy, and I'm a Weasley." It seemed to be a good enough reason to her. Malfoy seemed to think otherwise.

"To hell with our parents! Just because they were mortal enemies it doesn't mean that we have to be as well. Considering all the things that my father has done in the past, I'm not entirely sure I want to be like him at all. Just because he chose a side doesn't mean I did too." Rose remained silent. "We can start over. I've never heard of your name before, you've never heard of mine. What say you?"

Rose watched him silently for a few moments before sticking out her hand. "I'm Rose, nice to meet you."

"Scorpius," He said, shaking her hand and suppressing a smile.

The rest of the rounds went by uneventfully. Rose and Malfoy (she still couldn't bring herself to call him Scorpius) talked about their classes and teachers. _That went well_, she thought as they went their separate ways at 11:30. _I guess he's not so bad after all. _She couldn't believe she was saying it, but she was pretty sure she had just gotten a new friend. Or maybe just an acquaintance, at least. Nevertheless, she felt rather proud of herself that she didn't snap at him once that night, making her feel so much less immature. Only the immature fight, she thought as she entered the Gryffindor common room with a satisfactory smile on her face. Will and Al were sitting by the fire, playing chess. Will spotted her and waved her over.

"Wow, you're not glaring daggers tonight! Is Malfoy sick?"

"No, we've decided to make a truce." Rose grinned at the astonished look on her friend's faces and without another word, turned around and went up to her dormitory.

**Author's Note: **Hello dear readers! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter! Here we go again, only plot and unrecognizable characters are mine, and the song at the beginning of the chapter is Why Can't We Be Friends by War. PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. The Good Friend

The good friend

_The good friend  
Is always there  
Is always faithful  
Is always supportive_

The good friend  
Loves unconditionally  
Forgives easily  
Forgets every wrong

The good friend  
Cries over you  
Cries for you  
Cries with you

The good friend  
Gets hurt  
Gets walked on  
Gets left behind

The good friend  
Keeps her heart open  
Keeps smiling  
Keeps her promises

The good friend  
Never gives up  
Never stops being true  
Never fades away

The Good friend  
Is who I am  
Who I always want to be  
Who you can always trust to be there with a smile and open arms.

It's hard,  
But I am the good friend.  


The next morning when Rose descended into the Gryffindor common room she found Al and Will waiting for her, both sporting identical frowns.

"What's going on?" She asked when she reached them. Her two friends glanced at each other.

"Did Malfoy brainwash you?" Will blurted out.

"Did Malfoy…what?" Rose asked incredulously. What on _earth_ was he on about?

"I think what Will is trying to say," Al said firmly, giving Will a pointed look, "is _why are you making a truce with Malfoy?_"

"Oh, is _that_ all?" Rose snorted. "Honestly, all that happened is that we decided we didn't want to fight anymore so we just…started over." That was only partially true, Rose thought, but she didn't think it would be prudent to tell her friends the whole story.

"Oh. Well, alright then. At least you won't always be in a bad mood then!" Will said brightly. Al grinned in relief and led the way out of the common room.

Later that evening, Rose found that she wasn't dreading doing rounds that night. _Perhaps it might even be fun,_ she thought hopefully. Maybe _we can learn to be good friends. _

After finishing that large pile of homework that got assigned today, Rose headed for the seventh floor corridor, though she was once again early. And, once again, so was Malfoy. Stopping in front of him quietly, she smiled timidly at him as they began their walk around the castle. They chatted occasionally, though when they did not speak it was not an uncomfortable silence, nor an awkward one. Rose found out a bit about Malfoy, though just a few small things, like how his favorite class was Transfiguration and his favorite color was grey.

"_Grey?_" Rose asked incredulously. "Why _grey_? Grey is so - grey!"

"I don't know. It strikes me as a very unique color. It's not even a color, actually. It's like the breach between black and white." He said thoughtfully, and then added quietly, "the breach between good and evil." Rose ignored this last part. She felt that it was something personal, and if it was, then she would let him tell her in time, when he was ready. If he _wanted_ to tell her, that is.

"Malfoy, you are honestly the strangest person I have ever met." She said, chuckling.

He stopped. "Am I?" he asked. "Is that all I am? Just some kid coming from a dark family who has strange thoughts and no friends? Is that all there is?" His voice was growing louder as he spoke. Rose imagined she must look terrified, so instead assumed a look of concern.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way," she said honestly.

"And everyone else, what did they mean?" He asked rhetorically, his eyes glazing with fury.

"Maybe- maybe you're just misunderstood," she said in a very small voice. Malfoy could look immensely frightening when angry.

"Yes," he let out an angry breath of air. "They just don't know."

"You're right," Rose said, not sure if she even understood what he was talking about. "But if you tried to show it to them – that you're not just some kid who follows his father's footsteps…" She looked at him with her head tilted sideways. "Prove it to them."

"_No!_" He said immediately, close to shouting now. "No, that wouldn't do." He said firmly.

Rose shrugged nonchalantly, though really she was burning with curiosity. "All right, it was just a suggestion."

"A rather bad one."

"What do you mean?" Her head was tilted again. Why was it tilted? She didn't know.

"I – nothing. It just wouldn't work, that's all. You wouldn't believe how people here don't listen to anything."

Rose got the sense he was lying, that he was keeping something from her. _Don't push him_, she told herself. _You barely know him! You shouldn't be pressing people for details when you hardly know them._ She simply nodded and they resumed walking.

October rolled on and it seemed as if all was well. Rose finally caught up with her work, and was now, of course, top of her classes, though sometimes she had to compete with Scorpius, who she had become much closer with. Just one month ago, she would have worked harder than ever to beat him, but now it didn't seem to matter that much. She didn't hate him. Why get all worked up to stop a friend from succeeding? Why stop a friend from succeeding in the first place?

Albus and Will were extremely wary of Scorpius. Though Rose and Scorpius did not spend time together in public, as it would enrage their houses, they gave her cautious glances every time she went for prefect duties, as though she wouldn't return in one piece. After a while of this, Rose decided to confront them about it.

"Look, you guys have _nothing_ to worry about! We're friends, we've settled our differences and we no longer fight," she said after another glare in the direction of the Slytherin table at dinner. This seemed to reassure her two friends a little, and they returned to stuffing their faces. _Boys_, she sighed.

But what she said wasn't entirely true. Yes, they were friends, and yes, they _did_ settle their differences – but once and a while, just a small comment would drive Scorpius over the edge and he would get angry, loud and pessimistic, all the while talking about something she couldn't fully understand.

Then, that night, Scorpius blew his temper again.

"…but do you know what? They-"

"P!" She shouted over his loud voice, using his nickname. He stopped and looked at her oddly, as she had never interrupted any of his rants before.

"What?"

"Just calm down, will you? You're biting my head off." He stared at her, and then his face, which had previously been contorted in fury, relaxed.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I tend to lose my head a lot, don't I?"

"You most certainly do," Rose replied. _It's now or never_, she thought. "Why, though?"

Scorpius hesitated. He looked at her calculatingly, as if trying to decide whether he should divulge whatever it was that was tormenting him so. He nodded silently to himself, sat down against the corridor wall and motioned Rose to do the same. After a moment's pause, he spoke.

"You know about my family's history, don't you?" He asked unnecessarily. After all, who didn't?

"Yes," she said. "Of course."

And then he began to tell her everything. Rose had never seen him talk for so long. Staring at the floor, twiddling his thumbs, Scorpius told her about his parents. Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater, she knew, but what she didn't know was that he was _still_ a Death Eater, and was still on the lookout for Voldemort, almost 25 years after his demise. Mr Malfoy was cruel to his son; he never showed any love or affection, cared not for his well being or success in school, and expected him to become one of them when he was the right age.

"This summer," he whispered in a hollow voice. "I'm sure he's going to do it this summer."

This was why he had a reputation to hold. He had to be like a true Malfoy. He had to hate the Gryffindors, not know how to love, be known as upper class, and the rest. And that was the reason why they couldn't be friends publicly.

But he hated being known as this, as someone who followed other people. He wanted to be an individual.

"I can never make my own choices," he said in a quiet voice.

"You are now, aren't you? Unless your father told you to be friends with me," she added playfully. Scorpius swatted her lightly, grinning slightly. But he wasn't finished.

He was physically and mentally abused over the years, too. He suspected it was because Mr Malfoy was bitter, since he was never able to prove himself as an accomplished Death Eater. But it turned Scorpius rather bitter too. Mrs Malfoy never did anything about it, though. She simply sat and watched, looking exceptionally bored.

"I'm so sorry," Rose tried to say comfortingly, but it came out as more of a sad whisper. "I had no idea."

"No ones does, I guess," Scorpius said bitingly, laying his head back against the wall.

"P?" Rose questioned after a pause.

"Hmm?" His eyes were closed. Rose simply leaned over and hugged him hard. Scorpius jumped a little in surprise, as though the gesture was unfamiliar to him. Rose supposed it was, but then he relaxed his tense position and hugged her back. _He needs someone to do this for him_, she thought. _Someone to be there for him_. _Someone for him to lean on when he's lost his cane._

Gently, Scorpius released her. "Thank you," he said, his voice grateful. "I think I needed that."

Rose gave a tentative smile.

**Author's Note:** I know, terrible ending! A thousand apologies, but I have a history test tomorrow and I haven't studied yet, plus I can't think of a better ending anyways. Well, I HAD a history test the next day, this is just the old AN from when I posted this on HPFF, lol. All is JKR's except the plot and blahblah characters and the poem above which was written by Amanda Wearstler. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review!! :)


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